A Dreadful Summer
by gio kanon9
Summary: Draco and Hermione are suspended in Hogwarts for the rest of the holidays. Who knows what could happen?


**Disclaimer:** We do not own the Harry Potter series.

**Authors' Note:** We enjoyed writing this and we do hope you like it!

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><p><strong>A Dreadful Summer<strong>

"Stay out of this, you filthy Mudblood!" came a voice that broke through the serenity in Hogwarts.

It echoed and echoed from hall to hall, catching the attention of students and teachers. Some bore questioning faces and others were already on their way to find out what was going on.

The sound barely reached the archives but it still drew Harry and Ron's attention. They stopped, trying to make out the words uttered.

Professor Snape knitted his eyebrows when he noted that his students were idle. He sucked a breath and told them boringly, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, the commotion does not require your attention. However, this work does. Now, go on."

Surely, it was a ridiculous punishment to find the word "Muggle" in every book of the archive room and highlight all of them - worst, without the use of magic. That would be a reminder not to turn Crabbe into a pig and take him to the kitchen.

Ron sighed and shifted his attention back to the newspaper. He moved his face closer and squinted, finding the line he was previously working on earlier. _Muggle, muggle, muggle... _

But Harry couldn't resist inquiring, "Sir, what was that just now?"

"It is not your concern what–," Professor Snape was saying, but another yell interrupted.

This time Harry and Ron recognized the voice. They jumped to their feet and chorused, "That's Hermione!"

"I instructed you to find a "muggle" and not name one," Snape said and walked in front of them.

"Sir, Hermione sounds like she needs our help," Ron said instead.

"We have to go see what's happening to her," Harry added, already getting up.

"Ah, I see you have come up with another way to escape my detention. Very clever, I must say," Snape said nonchalantly.

Just as Harry was about to retort with another 'but sir', Snape cut right through him. With crossed arms, he told them, "Challenging instructions…100 points from Gryffindor. I bet your know-it-all friend can fend for herself better than you indolent fools can."

They Gryffindor boys jaw dropped. This was the third time the Slytherin professor deducted points from them. If they stayed any longer, they might lose all their points.

"That's not fair!" Harry exclaimed, his hatred for the teacher rising by the minute. His glare did not waver. They could hear the fight getting more intense. The male voice was screaming brief, abrupt words. The female one was returning it sharply.

"Hermione!" Ron gasped.

"Let's go!" He nudged the scarred boy, "There's nothing to lose now, mate...Run! She needs us!"

He scurried as soon as he prompted. Before exiting the room, he casted a 'Tarantallegra' spell on the teacher. Harry hesitated for a while as he saw Snape's legs dance uncontrollably but hasted after the ginger head.

Snape said again frustrated, "100 points from Gryffindor!"

"Why the hell did you have to do that?" Harry asked.

"Just so," he said, laughing.

They followed the brawls and the barks, which got louder and more intense. They figured that they were near to the scene of the fight. As both of them arrive at the Great Hall, they found people crowding. The two pushed their way through and saw Hermoine pointing her want to Malfoy who was across the room.

"You coward," Hermoine shouted angrily.

Harry and Ron rushed to the either sides of Hermione to still her.

"You better calm down Hermoine, you shouldn't waste your time with cowards like him," whispered Harry.

He'd love to see Malfoy beat down. However, they couldn't afford to lose more any points from the House Cup. Otherwise, the whole Gryffindor would hate them. Besides, whenever they lost a point, it was their fault. Harry didn't want that.

"Stay out of this, Harry," Hermione told him sternly, her gaze not leaving Malfoy as to watch every single move of his. Malfoy had a scornful look plastered upon his face, keeping a cool composure although already shaken by the muggle's threat.

Harry was tugging on her sleeve like a child. _Pathetic_, Malfoy thought. He could see that Granger was already giving in to his plead. It was a sign of weakness and also his chance of attack.

He snickered, "What's the matter, Granger? Are you backing down? I knew it. You're a good for nothing, a bag of rubbish –"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Hermione whipped her wand, casting the spell. Malfoy flew across the room and hit his back against the wall.

"That's bloody wicked, 'mione!" Ron exclaimed amusedly. He watched the entertaining scene of the boy trying to get up.

More and more students filled up the halls to see what is happening. As they start to grow in numbers cheers for both sides were heard. Suddenly the crowd turned mute as Professor _McGonagall_entered the scene. All you could hear was her heels tapping against the floor.

The students gave way for the teacher, whowent straight to Malfoy and Hermoine. She shifted her glance from Draco to Hermione.

"Do I want to ask what's going on here?" She broke the fearful silence.

"No, Professor," Ron muttered.

"Professor! It was all Malfoy's fault! He provoked Hermione and –" Harry cracked, but he cut himself off when the Professor shot him a glare.

"It's true, Professor!" Ron added quietly.

"Are you part of this once again, Potter and Weasley?"

Hermione looked at them worriedly. She answered abruptly, "No, no! They're not part of this. They just came. I'm at fault, Professor."

"Very well," Professor McGonagall spoke. "I'm very disappointed Ms. Granger, for I thought you would try to understand Mr. Malfoy's attitude."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Malfoy was murmured to one of his ever loyal minions.

As if hearing this, the Professor turned to him. She paused for a while, diminishing the smirk on the boy's face. "Mr. Malfoy, acting like a rotten brat, aren't we? As always. You came from a noble family. Such a dishonor."

"But I didn't do anything!" He retorted. "She attacked me!"

Words were spreading around. It was a long quite stop when suddenly Professor _McGonagall _started talking again, "As a punishment for your actions, both of you shall stay here in Hogwarts during your holidays. AND the use of magic is prohibited. Are we clear?"

The both of them had no choice but to agree, not even nudging to answer back to the elderly. McGonagall turned to the rest, "Do we still have business here? If not, then get going and pack your things for tomorrow."

The students began filing out of the halls. Draco left with a grudging expression displayed on his face. After Malfoy left, Harry and Ron approached Hermione.

"I see you'll be stuck with him for an oh-so-good-month, are we?" Ron said jokingly, not realizing that it was making Hermione angrier.

"Shut up," Hermoine groaned, swinging a fist against Ron's stomach.

Hermione marched back to her room, gritting her teeth. Why should she, of all people, have to waste the holidays with that good for nothing trash? What had she done to deserve this? She had been a wonderful student. She had never lied, well, except if it was necessary. It was all Malfoy's fault, she decided.

She unpacked her clothes and returned them to her wardrobe. She was merely trying to be a rightful person, she convinced herself. Besides, McGonagall and the rest of the staff knew well what a jerk Malfoy was. He should be suffering alone without the need to drag her along.

The night fell shortly. Hermione threw herself on her bed. And for hours, she only had the same thing running through her head: Imagine eight weeks in an isolated castle, alone with _that_; and far worse, she had to deal without magic.

Eight weeks, sixty days, thousands of hours...

Eventually, she fell asleep with the grudging thoughts haunting her mind.

The following day was much the anticipated day of Hogwarts students. Draco watched people file out of the castle from his window. He snorted at the sight, but continued to see it. A knock came. Before Draco even invited the person to enter, he already did. Much to his dismay, it was Harry Potter. He wouldn't have expected anyone else anyway.

"Potter," Draco said uninvitingly.

"Malfoy," Harry returned. The other didn't say anything more, which Harry saw as a cue to state his purpose. He smirked, "You deserved that punishment."

"If that's all you're going to say, then you may leave."

"I've got more," Harry said indifferently, fixing his glasses. Draco turned to the window, uninterested; but he continued anyway. "Just...Just leave Hermione alone. Don't hurt her or anything."

"I'm not planning to see her in my time here. And it's not like I'll be following your orders, Potter – The-Boy-Who-Stinks, The-Chosen-Loser, or whatever they call you these days," Draco told him quickly, as if doing his best to get rid of the boy already.

Harry remained silent for a while. He muttered, "I'll take that as a yes."

_Bang._And with that, he left.

Hurt her? Heck, she'd be the one out to kill him, Draco thought. But he shook his head. No, a mere muggle couldn't scare a majestic pureblood like him. He had no plans of putting up with her. If she wants war, he'd give her war. Well, without magic, which was kind of pathetic. That Granger, she was a stubborn brat. Why did she have to get in the way of everything he did?

But no worries, he told himself calmly. "My father will hear about this."

All the students have left already for the Holidays, as for both Malfoy and Hermoine they'll be suspended in the school campus. The halls were hauntingly empty and silent.

Draco lay in his bed that whole time. He hadn't recognized any sign of Granger moving anywhere, as well. The sun's warm ray lighted the whole room, when the rays hit his face he started to groan and get up.

He headed to the Potions room and began to write a letter, that he'd be sending to his father. His mind was at clearest there. Unfortunately, that girl was also there. He tried hard to ignore her. But he'd only end up convincing himself with foul thoughts about her. Besides, she was making so much noise. In the end, he unconsciously fell asleep whilst writing his letter.

Hermione climbed up to reach books from the highest part of the shelves. It was so difficult to work without any magical aid. And the sight of that Slytherin boy wasn't helping either. She tried hard to ignore him. When she already touched the book she needed, she lost her balance.

A loud "Ouch" was heard.

Draco jerked, awakening from his slumber.

Hermione struggled to get up from the heap of rubbish that piled over her, but with no avail. She felt a sudden sting somewhere down her foot. Finding the source of pain, she groaned as she spotted it in her ankle.

"I bet your big brain pulled you down, hasn't it?" Draco appeared at the corner in just a few moments. Hermione threw him a deathly glare. He was smirking arrogantly. Swaggering towards Hermione like a predator approaching a prey, he went on to reach out. But the stubborn girl slapped his hand, causing him to back away.

"DON'T - Don't touch me. I don't need your help," Hermione hissed at him.

"It's not like I would," the bleach-blonde boy laughed dryly, grabbing the vulnerable girl by arm mercilessly and pulling her upward. Hermione bit her lip when she felt her ankle twinge. She was whining in pain.

"Let go of me, you arse!" She demanded, her foot throbbing horribly. Sure enough, Draco practically pushed her towards the chair. Luckily, she managed to balance herself. Hermione was flaring. For all she knew, that Malfoy could do anything to her now and no one would know.

"You know, I could kill you right now," Malfoy told her threateningly, bending down to her height. He smiled slyly, taking her foot and twisting it. Hermione screamed, her anger towards the other rising up. She initiated to kick him, but he managed to dodge it. He shook his head and stood up, "For a geek, you're quite a klutz."

Draco started towards the shelves. He was rummaging through the jars and the stuff there. He took a handful of slugs, a bag of Standard Ingredient, and other things. Hermione couldn't help but bark at him, "For a mudbrain, you're quite a moron. You're not supposed to snoop through Professor Snape's materials."

He put all the things on a table near Hermione without saying anything. He prepared a cauldron and a mortar and began throwing in bits and pieces, mixing them altogether. The girl watched him, totally aghasted. She snapped, "What the hell are you doing?"

"A cure potion, obviously," he replied, busy, "To fix that ugly foot of yours."

"You can't make a potion without magic!"

"Who says I can't? Mother did it before," he said, already brewing the mixture. Hermione jaw-dropped in confusion, which rarely happened. How could someone be so stupid? That was a muggle medicine and not a potion! He decided to add, "Don't think I'm being kind to you. I just don't want to do all the work alone while you're relaxing."

"You're insane," she commented. "Please just call the Professor. He'll know what to do."

"No," he bit and transferred the liquid from the cauldron to a small bottle. He offered it to Hermione. "Here, drink it."

Hermione looked at it skeptically and back at Draco. She didn't move. Impatiently, Draco held her face, forcing her to drink it. When it emptied, he let go of her. He scorned, spacing himself from her.

"Mudblood."

Hermione felt her body burn all of the sudden. The pain from her ankle was gone, but she was too busy noticing the peculiar change in her insides to figure that. She clutched her chest and breathed heavily. She was sweating. However, soon enough, the odd stress went away. Her eyes darted towards Malfoy and she came to her feet, heading to him with a punch directly at his nose. All too sudden for Draco to see coming.

He was stunned. Coming back to his senses, he yelled at her, "What the bloody hell was that for?"

He was raging, but he stopped when he saw Hermione tearing up. She burst out then, "I'm sick and tired of your insults. I was hurt at first. It tore me and knocked me down and I knew it made you feel all better. I felt outcasted and weak. But I've learned to become numb of it. In fact, I don't care anymore. All you can do is just hurt other people to make yourself feel better. I pity you, Malfoy. I really do. I might be a filthy mudblood, but my dignity never bathed in mud. So that punch? It was a thank you that you've shown me how much blessed I am than you are."

"YOU BLOODY-" Draco started, his hand lifted up to hit Hermione, but she cut him off.

"Yeah, come on. Hit me if you will. It would surely make you a head better," she said, stopping the tears from falling.

He lowered his hand slowly as he stared at her for a while, watching her angered, pained, and sad. He shook his head and stormed out of the room.

As he left the room, heading to the Slytherin common room, Draco felt something bothering his hardened conscience. "Damn what am I feeling right now," he muttered, vigorously rubbing the back of his head because of perplexity. He stopped.

The next thing he knew, he saw the door of the Potion room in front of him. "What the actual shit," he mumbled. What am I doing back here? It seems that his body moved on its own. He reached the doorknob unconsciously.

"Granger, listen. I –"

As he entered slowly, he saw a petite figure lying on the floor. It was Hermoine she fell asleep from all the sobbing. It must have been the potion, he thought.

Malfoy felt weird. He ended up taking Hermoine to the Gryffindor's girls dorm, he lay her on a bed. He left for a while to get some towels and a bin with warm water inside and he put on the slightly damp towel on Hermoine's forehead.

"Don't leave me," Hermione grumbled unconsciously. Malfoy was shocked, but kept quiet. "Please…"

"I won't," he heard himself say.

After a while of taking care of her, Malfoy felt tired and drifted to dreamland.

The morning came soon enough and Hermoine woke up because of the burning sensation she felt from her ankle.

"Pssssh that Drag Queen, he can't even make a right Potion," she said to herself. She was getting off to bed when a she saw a figure laying his half body on the edge of her bed. She looked closely and recognized it. Who else would it be? She got puzzled because of the towel that fell from her forehead but she just shrugged it off, "What is he doing here?"

Then a sudden idea popped out of her head, she vigorously shook the sleeping body. Malfoy groaned because of the sudden shaking.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asked eye widened facing Hermoine.

"What the! I'm supposed to be the one asking that question," Hermoine retorted. "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing!"

"You expect me to believe that?"

"And you expect me to touch you? That's disgusting!"

"You're trespassing!" She exclaimed, both hands on waist. She threw an arm pointing to the doors, commanding, "GET OUT!"

Stifling a yawn, Draco sat up and stretched. He looked blankly and said, "No need to fret, Hermione. I'm going."

With that, he slipped in his shoes and walked limply towards the door. Hermione was struck. Did he just call her Hermione? Or did she just hear 'Mudblood', 'Muggle', 'Granger' or perhaps, 'Filth' wrongly? Her heart started beating quickly, as if she was panicking. Before she could stop it, her tongue clicked and she called out, "Wait."

Draco paused half-way out, turning half-faced. Hermione bit her lip, her chest pounding. She let out a quick, "Thank you," and looked away in embarrassment.

"That doesn't change what a stupid arse you are!"

The boy with the messy bleach-blonde hair smiled and left with a, "Idiot."

Hermione stomped her foot and threw herself on the sofa once he was gone. She clutched onto her wavy strands and started shaking her head violently. What was that, Hermione Jean Granger? What was she doing, thanking the undeserving idiot? He did stay in the common room to watch after her for the rest of the night - BUT that could have never paid for all that he's done to her!

The picture of Malfoy smiling flashed in her mind again. The smile was genuine and gentle. She rolled back and forth, trying to get rid of the memory. She yelled in solitude, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, WOMAN?"

Meanwhile as Draco strolled back to the Slytherin dormitory, he set into a train of thought.

"Thank you," he remembered her say. It was an honest one, not mocking or retorting in any ways. He stopped and laughed to himself loudly. What was he saying? He was just being kind to her for once. A truce did no harm to him and it wouldn't stay that way for long. He needed not be friends with someone like her. How could he have given her smile? It was a careless error. It showed weakness and it must not occur again.

When he arrived in his room, he spied an owl resting by the window pane. _Finally_, he thought. He snapped the piece of paper it held by the beak. It read:

Mr. Malfoy,

It is clearly known to you that every mail goes through _me._ I have not allowed your owl to reach the Manor. Please do stand to the consequences of your actions, which is this punishment.

P. S. Your father will not hear about this.

I am, yours truly,

Albus Dumbledore.

Draco crumpled the paper and threw it aside. Screw that rotten man. Now he was definitely stuck with that mud-no, Granger. He only felt pity for her, he assured himself once in a while. On daily basis, probably. He felt lazy to bully her anyway, he told himself, too, at times.

However, it was too difficult to stay civil with each other. They just hated each other too much. Occasionally, they would have a quick exchange of insults when they encounter each other. But mostly, they were heated fights.

On a regular day, Professor McGonagall called on them to report to her in her office. She shifted her glance from one to another. Finally, she broke the awkward silence. "Well, how are the both of you?"

Draco and Hermione said different things simultaneously; 'dreadful' from Hermione and a 'shitty' from Draco. The elder one sighed. She then said, "Since you two are obviously feeling awfully tedious and that doing nothing brings you nothing, I have a task for you."

Hermione stared at the Professor for long enough, trying to decipher what her task could be.

"Clean," she said lamely, when the Professor had brought them at a certain part of the castle, magically letting cleaning equipment appear in their hands. "You can't be serious, Professor. I, for one-"

"You must be kidding!" Draco exclaimed, dropping the mop on the floor.

"I am certaintly not, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall spat. "And I want the whole campus grounds to sparkle like Edward Cullen by the end of the day. Do you understand?"

"This is ridiculous," Hermione muttered. Draco whispered an 'I know' to it and rolled his eyes.

"Do you understand?" McGonagall asked louder, keeping a stern look. They nodded helplessly. She said in content, "Good. Also, I'm glad that you finally get along regarding something."

"We do not!" They said simultaneously. McGonagall raised a brow, proud to have proven her point, and shuffled away.

In defeat, Hermione sighed exasperatedly and began mopping the floor lazily. She walked a long meter to keep a good distance from Draco, while Draco stared at the mop, not knowing what to do. He was a Richie Rich, of course he wouldn't know what to do. Hermione watched him cautiously. He picked up a bucket of water, just looking at it - perhaps wondering what to do with it.

Hermione felt an initiative to apologize to him, but she held back. Maybe she was, in fact, too harsh on him. That is also why he might have been so cruel. Violence begets violence, as they say. So gathering all of her courage, she walked to him and tapped him on the shoulder. She said, "Draco."

Draco jumped in surprise, spinning around and accidentally pouring the water on Hermione. Hermione looked at herself, all drenched in water. She looked at him wide-eyed and jaw-dropped. He looked back, half-confused and half-afraid of her reaction.

"You arse!" She shouted, but amusingly, and grabbed a good bucket of water to splash him with. An amazed smile formed on Draco's face instead when he bathed in it.

"You little!" He called, grabbing a mop. "I demand a Wizards' Duel."

"I accept," Hermione said proudly, also getting a mop. "Don't back down, Malfoy."

"You bet I won't, Granger."

They started rounding each other, playing with the mops like swords. They were, in fact, having fun - unconsciously. Hermione was about to poke him, her foot missed a step. She instinctively clutched to his shirt to balance herself on the wet floor, somehow embracing him. Hermione felt warm, almost intoxicated that she forgot to pull away. Draco, as well. But in that very moment, too, Draco suddenly came to his senses. He pushed Hermione back. What was he doing? He looked at her in horror, while she tilted her head in lack of understanding. Before she could even comprehend, he shot his mop aside and darted away.

What just happened?

Malfoy shrugged of the feeling and continued walking back to the Slytherin common room. As he arrived, he slumped his body on top of his bed and put an arm on top of his head. Trying to drift to sleep, instead of sleeping he ended up thinking about the different sides of Hermoine that he saw today.

Hermoine was left there puzzled.

He felt a pinch in his heart but decided to shrug it off. He was becoming too soft. He was letting his guard down. He wouldn't - no, he must not let if happen anymore.

During the dinner at the Great Hall, Draco sat on the Slytherin table, while Hermione at the Gryffindor. The staff were at their own table, watching the tense aura between the two. Dumbledore looked amused. They ate in silence, their utensils cluttering. It was utterly awkward. Draco tried to block thoughts but couldn't help glancing at Hermione. She was doing the same. In the end she stood up, making a lot of noises to get attention, and then she marched off and out of the hall. Draco fought the urge to call after her but he managed to control himself.

_You don't care, Draco Malfoy. You don't._

The remaining days went the same for them. They woke up at eight, had breakfast in the Hall, went back to their rooms and wait for assignments, eat dinner, and then go back to their rooms to sleep and wait for the next day. That, until the last day of summer came.

Draco was in his room, waiting by the window. He saw as students slowly filed in the castle. A knock came. He didn't say anything, expecting Crabbe or Goyle to appear at the door. But the door revealed neither. It was once again, Harry Potter.

"Potter," he prompted.

"What do you want?" Draco said hoarsely, not turning away from the window.

"Were you considerate to Hermione?"

Draco stopped and turned to the inquirer. He didn't know the answer. He decided to ignore the question, just waiting for Harry to leave. He whispered to himself, "No, I wasn't. I wasn't considerate at all."

"And I will never learn to," Draco said. Somehow, it hurt to say that. But it was the truth.

**END**

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